The Five Year Lie by Sarina Bowen

 Entertaining domestic mystery thriller.

A woman whose boyfriend disappeared and then subsequently died receives a text message 5 years later asking her to meet him in the park they had frequented during their time together. Shocked but eager to see him again, Ariel Cafferty rushes to the location. But he never shows up. Ariel has never forgotten Drew and the explanation for the text has her doing a deep dive into everything she thought was true about their relationship, her relatives, and the family business. 

This was fast paced and quite interesting as it involved the technology behind door cameras and the subsequent threats to privacy that they can create. Having access to the footage of those cameras can be used for good and also, as is discovered, for evil. As Ariel searches for the truth, she discovers more than she anticipated. She's been lied to and it's cost her everything. 

I liked the main character and though some stereotypical trope friends gave me pause, the narrative played out as I expected with some surprises along the way. A bit of romance and a harrowing cross country bus trip kept me glued to the pages. The conclusion was a bit anticlimactic but anticipated.

I was able to listen to the audiobook while following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publisher. There were 3 narrators, a woman and two men. All did decent jobs for their related male and female spoken parts, but the voice for the child grated as did the instances where men spoke for women and vice versa. Overall, however, the production did enhance my appreciation of the book.

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - mystery, thriller, domestic drama, cyberstalking

An Insignificant Case by Phillip Margolin

 Entertaining and fast-paced legal thriller.

This is a standalone, so I was able to jump right in and get my fix as I love fiction involving legal maneuvering and complicated plots. This one however, got me with the characters. So many different personalities on the legal end and a really quirky mathematician turned artist who made for a very interesting criminal. 

The basic plot involves an inappropriately displayed painting, a stolen flash drive, sex trafficking, murder, and vigilantism. The story takes off quickly and the excellent writing kept me hooked. As the action ricochets from one scenario to another, the attorneys adapt and try to keep their client alive. 

Guido Sabatini (born Lawrence Weiss) is a most unlikely criminal as he's a slightly crazy painter who believes he was trained by the masters in a past life. He gets mad when a painting he sold to a restaurateur is not hung out in the main dining area but hidden away in an office. He decides to break in and liberate it, but also, in spite, takes a flash drive from the office safe thinking he will simply give it back once the owner hangs the painting in a more suitable place. Arrested for theft, he needs an attorney. Enter third rate lawyer Charles Webb. Charlie's a good guy but he's no match for what's coming. Oh, Guido. What a nest of serpents he let loose. There is something on that flash drive that many people will get to keep secret.

I really liked this story and was lucky to be able to listen to the audiobook while also following along in the e-book ARC provided by the publishers. The narrator did an excellent job of voicing the characters with appropriate tone, accents, and dramatic flair. The production was well done and enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

This is a standalone and not part of any series.

Genre - tags: legal thriller, sex trafficking of minors, rape, murder

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

 This melodrama is filled with stupid characters who behave in completely outlandish ways. You know it's bad when you want the main character to be killed off (yes, I'm talking about you, Sydney). I know I have to think way outside the box of reasonable and believable when I pick up a McFadden, but these twists have gone way crazy now. The mystery to me is why I keep hoping that the next book I pick up will be different. 

I listened to the audiobook and hoped it would save a ridiculous premise but that wasn't enough to save it, in fact, can't say I really liked the narrator but am blaming that on the dialogue and action scenes that the author wrote. Since the narrator has to read what's on the page, she really had little choice in how to portray the characters. 

Stop with the insanity of completely improbable twists. It was a surprise only because it was so preposterous, and not in a good way. 

This is a standalone and is not part of any series.

Genre - drama, dating, relationships, murder